San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-17
C 0 N DITTO N S.
MISS WEBER'S MISTAKE.
BY MRS. W. II. PALMER.
CHAPTER

When Marian Weber Joined the
Lauristons' party for month of travel
through the Carolinas she was not dis
tinctly conscious that she was running
away from Floyd Marble. Yet such in
fact was the case. She was afraid of
him-which is only another way of say
ing that she was more than half In love
with him.
The Lauriston party were admirably
constituted to travel, and to travel to-
gether. They were people of wealth, Of
absolute breeding, with good health
and fine tastes. A fortnight after leav-
ing home they were lettering through
the half-civilized region of North Caro-
lima, Of whose people Mr.. Laurston, a
literary man, was making studies. They
had found hotel rather comfortable
than the most, in a picturesque country
where magazine writers and Journalists
had been few and far between, and here
they decided to stay for week.
1t was October, that rarest Of months,
bringing the rarest of weather. On the
second morning after their arrival, Mrs.
Lauriston and Miss Weber, who were
the only ladies of the party, sat togeth-
er on the broad piazza which Southern
house always possesses, no matter what
else it lacks. Mrs. Lauriston was
young matrOn of twenty-eight; Miss
Weber, her intimate friend, was three
years younger.
There had been long silence. Mrs.
LauriStOn knitted her strip of oriental
woods which trailed over the black dress
that set of her fair hands and blonde
hair. Her companion, having prepared
her materials for making a charcoal
sketch, sat idle, gazing with sort of
absorption at the outlines Of the blue
mountains that surrounded them. Sud-
denly Mrs. Lauriston spoke:
What are you thinking of, Marianp"
Miss Weber started slightly. She was
q person of exquisite repose of manner
and quiet grace. She had no beauty
otherwise. Only well-set head with
abundant brown hair, pair Of intelli-
gent brown eyes, fine, pale complex
lon, rather long nose, and lips that
showed self-control. Mrs. Lauriston,
who knew her so well, was little sur
prised at her very slight start.
II believe 1 was thinking of home,
Georgina."
II expected you would get homesick.
Scenery and novelty are poor substi-
tutes, after all, for good cooking and
and other things"
You are wrong. / am not homesick.
am, on the contrary, very glad that
came"
Mrs. Lauriston dropped her gay strip
blue eyes into her friendss pale, refined
face.
Marian, how came you to travel with
us this fallp" she asked.
The faintest pink flushed across Miss
Weber's face.
1T seemed best to me to get away
from home" she answered.
II understand" Mrs. Lauriston pro-
ceeded, quietly. You came away to
avoid Floyd Marble"
II had no reason to do that"
II think you had" Mrs. Lauriston
had an instinct that it was time for her
reserved friend to speak on this subject.
You like him for friend" she con-
tinued, land you wished to prevent his
becoming lover"
Miss Weber's face flushed more deep
" than before. She looked two or three
years younger than she had a moment
before. Mrs. Lauriston went on:
You were wiSe-as you always are,
Marian. Floyd Marble, brilliant as he
is, is not the man for you to marry"
II doubt if ever marry, Georgina."
II think you will. You are pro-
foundry affectonate person, after all,
when you are moved"
"But am never moved" said Miss
Weber, with smile.
"You are, sometimes. You we're
moved when our darling baby died; and,
Marian, you were moved one day this
summer, when you had been out for
hours on the water with Floyd Marble
you were greatly moved"
"He rowed between the boats of a tow
that morning. The rope almost grazed
our heads. thought it was reckless"
Ibid he do that? 1t was just like
him. But it was not that which excited
you. You do not mind physical danger.
That-that which would alarm you
would be the-the moral peril of love
like FLOYD Marbles"
Mrs. Lauriston was brave little wO-
man, but it took all her courage to say
these words. She had resolved, how
ever, to say them six months back, and
now it was done. She caught her breath
stealthily, and looked straight at her
friend.
Miss Weber had not changed her posi-
ton during the conversation. Her face
was still set forward.
AS Mrs. Lauriston ceased speaking
Miss Weber moved suddenly, as if to
rise from her chair. Some sheets of
sketching paper fluttered to the floor.
Recovering from her impulse, she re-
sumed her seat. With her eyes fixed
unflinchingly on the distance, She clasp
ed her hands hard about the arms of her
chair. Her voice, however, was entire
ly calm as she spoke.
"Georgina, there is Floyd Marble
coming;-do you see2-coming up the
rOadYf